Intuition is an intriguing thing. Depending on how self-aware you are, it can either be shrouded in mystery, or comforting and familiar.

I do not always listen to my intuition, as much as I wish I did. I try. I am aware of its importance. But, sometimes I slip.

Like last weekend, when a friend, who was having a house party, asked me to bring over cutlery to their house because they were expecting a big crowd and were short pieces. My intuition said it was not such a great idea, that I might not get everything back. As it turns out, my intuition was right. Not that this is the end of the world, but it is a reminder of the built-in guidance system located deep in my being.

"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." - Albert Einstein

Listening to my intuition has spared me from injury and also saved my life.

When I was in my youth, one night, after meeting up with friends for drinks, a group of them all piled into a vehicle that was headed to a party. I started getting into the car myself, which was like squeezing into a sardines can, but in the process something deep down said: no. It was just an uneasy feeling that I should not get into the car. Later that evening, the car was in an accident and rolled over. No-one was hurt, but perhaps if there had been one more passenger in that sardines can, who would not have had a seat belt, the results could have been dramatically different.

At times when I do not listen to my intuition, I remind myself of this experience.

Sometimes when I think my intuition is speaking to me, I am not sure if it is an emotion coming up, such as fear, or if it is my head using analytical thinking. Usually when I follow it, though, it is “right.”

According to Psychology Today, intuition, or a hunch, is formed from past experiences and knowledge. There is also a contingent of modern-day scientists and philosophers that propose intuition is our energy tapping into the matrix of life. However you want to look at it or explain it, intuition is this: undeniable.

So, the next time your inner voice whispers – or shouts – stop, pay attention and follow it. See where it takes you.